The Trudeau government is opening the door to the export of Canadian-made weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is trumpeting the addition of Ukraine to what is known as the Automatic Firearms Country Control List –  as a sign of Canada’s enduring support for the battle-scarred country.

Canadian companies and individuals can now apply to the federal government for permission to export prohibited weapons and other equipment to Ukraine – which were completely banned in the past.

Ukraine has appealed to countries like Canada for more help including the provision of weapons – as it grapples with a three-year-long war with Russian-backed separatists.

The Canadian government’s move could also fire-up criticism from anti-arms trade campaigners, given concerns about human-rights abuses by both sides in Ukraine’s conflict.